Beef, Pork Cuts Changing Names But Not in Florissant

Pork chops might be no more, or at least in name.

Recent reports in the news indicate that the National Pork Board and the Beef Checkoff Program decided to update the Uniform Retail Meat Identification Standards (URMIS), which serves as a way to standardize and simplify meat cuts and their names.

The decision comes down as consumers in Florissant and across the country prepare for the summer grilling season and the names of cuts can confuse consumers when shopping for that perfect grilling steak.

Names such as pork chop would become "porterhouse chops," "rib eye chops" and "New York chops."

Although the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has given its blessing, it’s not a mandate across the industry but instead voluntary. Many retailers use it anyway, according to reports.

A Florissant meat shop plans to not volunteer to use the standards.

Max’s Meats and Deli manager Tabetha Bartlett said that she and the shop’s butcher had discussed the name changes, and they didn’t understand the new system, which also includes names such as the Boston Roast and the Denver steak.

Customers can rest assured that pork chop, rib eye steak, and other cuts of meat retain their names in this shop.

“We like to inform our customers and then they want to come back because they know what we’re talking about,” Bartlett said.

She further said that customers can always ask questions about meat cuts.